Here’s What MSPs Want Their Clients to Understand About IT Security

Cybersecurity was once a considerably unique discipline. Vendors specializing in security services were more than equipped to handle the prevalent digital threats. Managed service providers (MSPs), specializing in other kinds of services, relied on the security folks to devise and implement measures to keep networks and data safe from constant cyber threats and hackers.

Unfortunately, the situation has changed considerably over the years. Now, digital attacks make the news almost every other day, and every aspect of your infrastructure or application is at risk. No wonder security has become a pressing concern for every MSP. To combat cyber-crime and prevent any breaches, employees, executives, and IT personnel need to team up and create a solid communication strategy.

Growing Area of Concern

As the number of electronic devices and gadgets worldwide increases, we are becoming always-connected. So, unlike the past, when the burden of cybersecurity fell squarely on the shoulders of the IT department, the responsibility is now shared and discussed at the executive levels. Pay attention to what is being discussed in a boardroom right now, and you’ll notice that it is all about cyber incidents, security questions, and data breaches. So, cybersecurity has gradually become a key concern for companies and it is being prioritized accordingly. Unfortunately, not all organizations have successfully managed to translate the digital threats into credible business concerns. As a result, there are plenty of businesses that have no idea how to proceed.

Impact on the Structure of the Company

Cybersecurity comes with a host of challenges and issues, all of which crop up during your daily discussions at work or home. So do the measures adopted to safeguard computer systems worldwide against unauthorized attack or access. But media headlines appear to highlight the newest data breaches, which expose the leak of the confidential details of millions of customers to the public. These circumstances often cause market executives to be fired from their work. Businesses also get harmed by this mishap and notice a rapid drop in the value of their stock market. They are required to pay a specified “ransom” to the hijackers to access their information once more. For smaller companies, however, a sudden hack could very well threaten their existence as a business.

All Is Not as Safe as It Seems

Businesses tend to spend billions of dollars every year on advanced technology. This new equipment is meant to preserve the safety of important information and data, and deter malicious hackers and insiders from their attempts to bypass security measures and swipe data without a second thought. Unfortunately, most of the cybersecurity breaches occur as a result of human actions or errors. Also, people seem to be completely unaware of what they have done until it is too late. So, if you thought that protecting vital details or your identity through the use of technology was enough, think again. You will always be targeted by hackers into spilling valuable secrets unknowingly. Through a method known as social engineering, they target the weakest link in the cybersecurity spectrum – humans and exploit them to find loopholes and other entry points. Thus, it is a no-brainer that both technology and people work better together.

What Can You Do?

Now that the world is always connected, and your private details of organizations and individuals are susceptible to misuse and exposure, everyone must focus on cybersecurity. We must all work together in harmony for technology to easily identify suspicious activity and assess the threat level. When a malicious threat actor or hackers steal classified information, they do so by transcending the boundaries of gender, age, race, nationality, beliefs, or culture. Remember, your digital footprint, as well as your computer, is carefully evaluated whenever an opportunity presents itself, mostly for economic gain. Only by working as a team can employees, executives, and IT develop an effective communication strategy for beating cybercrime and preventing further victimization.

Understand the Human Error

Most often, it is people who are targeted by hackers and other malicious online entities. Ironically, it is the same people who are often responsible for lapses in cybersecurity. The problem is, our trusting nature. Hackers take advantage of this trust and use our willingness to cooperate and curiosity to get us to “click on the link” in personal or business emails. But the moment you clicked on a bad link, you might have unknowingly downloaded a virus or malware into your system. And if you’re one of the unlucky few, you might be the victim of a ransomware attack, where all your data is locked up, and unless you pay a certain amount, you will never be able to access the data again. At other times, the downloaded malware may unknowingly gather sensitive information, like passwords and credentials, so it can exploit them later.

So, even if these actions are accidental, the outcome can considerably harm your company, your community, your family, or yourself. Until you learn to be suspicious of too-good-to-be-true emails or shady links online, malicious insiders will continue to take you for a ride.

What Clients Should Change or Do Differently

Before you log onto the Internet the next time, whether at home or work, think before you connect. You need to adopt a balanced approach so that the cybersecurity threats to your wellbeing as well as your business are minimized. Find the middle ground between technology and people. Try following these eight tips on what clients should do to maintain the efficiency and safety of their organization and stop cyber attacks at the same time:

Teach employees, partners, and clients about the basics of cybersecurity.

Concluding Remarks

MSPs must familiarize their clients with all the common cybersecurity errors and work with them to strengthen their systems so that no data is lost or stolen by hackers. The more informed the client is, the better they will be able to protect their personal information.